Inner Demons
by Tijiya
Summary: Though it was expected, he had an odd feeling upon knowing he was no longer needed to protect. He had been ready, somewhat, to return to normal life. Fate, however, had a different idea and plunged him, unconcious, into a new journey.
1. Chapter 1

Ever since he was fourteen, change became a normality in Yusuke's life. Back then it didn't bother him; he had welcomed it with wide open arms. Anything to get away from the hell hole he's forced to call home. Lately, however, the very word was beginning to get on his nerves.

He had been ready to return to normal life after the dealings in the Makai. Perhaps 'ready' wasn't quite the word, but he had prepared himself none the less. He wasn't needed in the Makai and wasn't needed to protect the human world any more. It gave him an odd sense of emptiness knowing he wasn't needed to protect any longer.

In fact, he wasn't needed by quite a few people anymore. Kuwabara was well on his way to getting into a collage to study veterinary, if anyone would be of any help to him it would be Kurama. Atsuko had found herself a steady boyfriend, surprisingly enough, the man wasn't even a drunk and was able to keep Atsuko sober for longer than a day. Yusuke had only met the man once, but was pleased. The man would be good for his mother.

Even Keiko didn't seem to need Yusuke anymore. Apparently she had met a young man whose future was cemented; Yokushima if he remembered the name right, he would be going to collage after summer. He planned on becoming a doctor just as his father and grandfather had before him. He'd be able to provide her the one thing Yusuke probably would never be able to; a steady life. Even though his life is slowing down considerably, it wasn't like Yusuke to lead a normal life. Keiko had a feeling that another journey was beginning for him and didn't want to stop him; whatever his path may be. She would rather worry about him as friends…nothing more. Hard though it was, Yusuke accepted her decision. As expected, he threatened Yokushima with mayhem and murder should he do anything to Keiko.

Yusuke sighed heavily as the bird on his shoulder gave a soft coo and nudged his cheek. Finding a job without a high school diploma was next to impossible; add that to his still thriving reputation and work was basically out of reach for him. He was eighteen, basically an adult, and yet he couldn't find a job to support himself.

He played with the idea of going back to school, but his past experience with teachers made him think twice. A week after his return Genkai had come to him; she had been letting him stay with her in exchange for doing the chores around the temple and keeping up his training routine. She told him of a friend who owned a shrine on the other side of town, the man was probably as old as Genkai, but wasn't a powerful physic. He claimed to be a priest, but he wasn't strong enough to harm Yusuke...or a fly for that matter.

His family was living with him, for his sake, but the youngest; and only boy, wasn't old enough to do the heavy work around the shrine like repairs and such. When presented with the idea of her old pupil coming to help them out, the old man had talked it over with his daughter. They both loved the idea; it would be nice to have someone strong help out around the shrine. They would provide him with housing in exchange for his services.

Yusuke could have leapt up the stairs with immense ease, but refrained. For some reason he felt like walking up the seemingly never ending steps. It was just as well too, the old man was at the top of the steps waiting for him. Giving the man a heart attack wouldn't be a good first impression.

"You must be Mr. Urameshi," the old man smiled warmly. His hands were clasped behind his hunched back. He looked Yusuke over for a moment before a light laugh escaped his lips. "With how Genkai spoke of you, I was half expecting a young whelp." Yusuke opened his mouth to object before the old man spoke again. "Obviously that's not what you are, good. That's what we need around here," the man spoke as he began to walk, Yusuke fell in step beside him. "…a good strong young man."

Puu shifted on Yusuke's shoulder uncomfortably. Yusuke knew he could sense the odd energy that flowed through the shrine, though he got the brunt of most of it. The energy seemed to be inspecting him, checking to see if he would be a danger to the family or not. He simply chalked it up to the old man being a priest, perhaps the energy came from him.

"Tell me young man, do you by any chance…believe in demons?" Yusuke stopped in his tracks, taken off guard by the sudden question. Grandfather Higurashi stopped and chuckled, seemingly amused by his reaction. "Well, do you?" He prodded gently.

"I've heard stories," Yusuke shrugged casually. "But I don't really think they exist, it's too far fetched." They began walking again.

"Really? Well my boy perhaps that may change…"

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked, but the old man refused to answer.

'Genkai said the old man was a priest, can he know I'm a demon?' Yusuke wondered. He'd best keep his guard up around these people, something wasn't right around here. It was as if some big secret was being kept from the world. Yusuke followed the old man inside the house; the atmosphere around there was comfortable.

" Willow, this is Mr. Urameshi. He's the young man Genkai sent to help around the shrine," Grandfather Higurashi informed his daughter as they stepped into the kitchen. Willow put the dish towel aside and walked over to the two men smiling.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Higurashi," Yusuke said.

"As is you Mr. Urameshi." Yusuke shifted a bit uncomfortably; he wasn't used to being addressed so formally. He'd been called by his last name before, but not with such politeness behind it. Normally a hint of distaste would be within the speaker's voice, but the woman spoke only with kindness.

"Uh, Yusuke's fine," he muttered. Willow chuckled under her breath.

"All right then," she nodded. "Come, I'll show you to where you'll be staying." She led him up the stairs, as they went he spotted pictures of the family. One of them in particular caught his eye; he stopped for a moment to look. Mrs. Higurashi and Grandfather Higurashi were in the back smiling; in the front were a young boy and a teenage girl. The boy was holding a rather fat cat. He saw no trace of a father in any of the pictures and felt a pang of sympathy. It was hard growing up without a father. He turned to find Mrs. Higurashi watching him, her eyes shadowed with sympathy. Did she know somehow? No words were exchanged between them as she led him to the guest room.

"Thank you Mrs. Higurashi," he said as he walked into the room.

"You're welcome; I'll let you get settled in." Willow closed the door behind her. Yusuke dropped his bag haphazardly on the ground and sat on the edge of the bed. Puu decided the pillow looked more comfortable than Yusuke's shoulder so took up residence there. Yusuke looked at the room from his spot on the bed; the sunlight leaked in through the window. The room was spacious and was cleaner than his old room; he could bet that the desk was actually its original color. The colors of the room consisted of light blue and white, the furniture added shades of brown.

This would do for now, until he could figure out what he wanted to do with his life. At least he was doing something in the meantime. If any demons attacked the shrine he'd know what to do.

"Who am I kidding?" he groaned. That part of his life was over, he needed to bury it ten feet under and just forget about it. Though, it'd be much easier if he didn't have demon blood running through his body constantly reminding him of what he truly is. "This is so stupid! I bet Koenma's up there right now having a good laugh about all of this," He grumbled as he fell backwards onto the bed and glared at the ceiling. Perhaps if he glared long and hard enough it'd get through to Koenma and burn a hole through his 'important' paperwork.

**IIIIIII**

Willow added a sprinkle of seasoning to the skillet as the meat on it continued to sizzle. She was fully prepared for Souta to follow the delightful smell of dinner, but hadn't been expecting Yusuke's pet to land on her shoulder and rub his head against her cheek. She laughed lightly and stroked his head, eliciting a pleasant sound from the odd bird.

She couldn't quite figure out what type of bird he was. His feathers were a beautiful royal blue and he had short black feathers coming from the top of his head to the base of his neck. They were incredibly soft to the touch. But it was the, she guessed they were, ears that confused her. All in all he was a strange bird, his behavior even stranger.

He moved from her shoulder, which was far narrower than Yusuke's, to the counter. He stayed back far enough where he'd be a harmless observer. Buyo, however, had other plans. Fat though the cat was, he still managed to be as active as a thin cat. Grandfather Higurashi would know; the cat could definitely run fast enough when in possession of one of his ancient demon artifacts.

Buyo simply watched Puu, eyes concentrated on the single feather that hung off of the edge. His tail twitched in anticipation as he crouched down getting ready to pounce. He meowed in obvious disappointment as Souta sauntered in and picked him up; destroying his previous plan.

"Who's the bird belong to mom?" Souta asked as he looked at the unfamiliar bird Buyo had just tried to pounce.

"He belongs to Yusuke," she replied as she turned off the heat beneath the skillet. "The young man arrived while you were at practice." Souta let Buyo go once away from Puu; he could have sworn the cat pouted as he slinked away. "How did practice go today?" She asked as she began to place the food on the table with Souta's help.

"It was okay, but the grass was soaked from the rain last night." He inwardly winced as he remembered the number of times he fell victim to gravity just as his fellow teammates had. He wouldn't be surprised if his knees or rear end sported bruises tomorrow. "Buyo, I wouldn't if I were you!" Souta warned as he spotted the cat trying to pounce the poor bird again. Puu suddenly called out his namesake and flew across the kitchen to land on Yusuke's shoulder; who had just barely entered the doorway.

"So this is where you've been hiding out eh buddy?" Yusuke's hair was tousled, indicating he had been snoozing. Despite the number of times he ran his hand atop his hair it would not smooth out. Upon waking he had immediately noticed the lack of Puu's presence. In unfamiliar territory Puu would usually hang around Yusuke, but to be venturing around already the Spirit Beast must feel comfortable.

Dinner was fairly quiet, save for the occasional question tossed in Yusuke's direction or vice versa. Grandfather Higurashi contemplated the young man's quiet and well mannered behavior. Genkai had clearly described her former pupil as a delinquent, hard headed, and loud mouthed. However, he hadn't seen any indication that this boy fit any of that. Had she sent the wrong boy perchance? He then inwardly shook his head; Genkai only had one pupil as far as he knew. Perhaps, once he'd been there a fair amount of time, his true personality would shine through. Yusuke did, after all, look the part of a delinquent. No doubt he had the personality to match.

"That bird of yours is certainly exotic," the old man pointed out. "Reminds me of what I imagined a phoenix to look like…for the most part," he chuckled.

"Yes, he certainly is beautiful," Willow added. Puu ruffled his feathers a bit and puffed out his chest in pride.

"How did you come across such a bird?" Grandfather Higurashi inquired.

"A friend gave me the egg before it hatched," Yusuke explained. "He didn't say where he got the egg or what kind of bird he is." He didn't lie completely, there was nothing wrong with a half truth now was there?

"What's his name?" Souta asked, momentarily forgetting about his dinner.

"Puu," Yusuke replied. "When he hatched he would say that sometimes, somewhere around there it sort of stuck," he explained when questioned about the origin of the name. He conveniently left out the part that Puu had once resembled a squashed penguin with long bloodhound ears and Yusuke had been far from pleased. Thus he hadn't cared what the blue puff ball was called.

"I didn't see you bring in a cage for him," Willow said.

"He never needed one," Yusuke gave a half shrug.

"So he's a trained bird?" Souta's face lit up.

"I guess you can say that." Souta spent the remainder of dinner bombarding Yusuke with questions. Not only about Puu, but about whatever question happened to pop into his mind. Some of Yusuke's answers had been vague or seemed like he was trying to bend the truth, but he was never questioned about it….or the rambling boy just didn't notice. Either way the questions continued, Yusuke began to see no end to the now seemingly endless line. They only stopped when Souta was forced to finish his dinner and then go upstairs to do his homework.

After dinner had been cleaned up and the dishes put away, Yusuke had been bombarded by yet more questions. It was understandable, seeing as they knew little about him despite all of the questions Souta had asked. As before, he was vague with touchy questions he thought too personal and bent the truth more than once. The old man continued questioning long after Willow had stopped; most of his questions, Yusuke soon found, revolved around demons. His suspicions about the old man only strengthened; perhaps he was more aware than Genkai knew.

As the night wore on and the talking continued, Willow noticed the mental exhaustion in his eyes. While the trip there hadn't been tiring, figuring out how to answer each question was draining. Especially when the topic was demons; he couldn't give too much information, but couldn't refuse to answer the question. He had to decide when to bend the truth, lie outright, or give a very vague answer. Willow put her hand over her fathers, causing the old man to stop speaking.

"We should retire for the night, I'm sure he's tired," she said calmly. Yusuke mentally thanked her, but the relief in his eyes indicated thanks enough. He yawned as he closed the door behind him and stripped off his shirt and jeans before pulling on a pair of pajama pants. Puu, who had gone back to the room halfway through Grandfather Higurashi's questioning, lay curled up next to the pillow sleeping. Yusuke slid beneath the covers and fell asleep almost instantly.

**IIIIIIIIIII**

The mid-afternoon sun was highly unforgiving as it bore down upon Yusuke's exposed back. Occasionally a stray cloud would cover the sun, thus relieving Yusuke from its rays if only for a few minutes. Though the cloud would pass by and the sun would once again be revealed.

Yusuke paused in his hammering to sit back on his haunches and wipe the sweat from his brow. He had been repairing the well house roof since Souta had gone off to school, which had been fairly early in the morning. He had to replace most of the aged wood with new slabs that would most certainly hold for at least ten or twenty more years. Unfortunately taking apart the roof, getting the wood, and cutting them to fit had taken up the morning and part of the afternoon. He'd probably be finished with the roof by nightfall, sooner if he was lucky.

Yusuke looked around wildly for a moment as a sudden chill ran down his spine. Everything on the shrine grounds, however, was calm. Nothing out of the ordinary could be spotted or sensed. Perhaps he was just getting jumpy. He shook his head and continued his hammering; a harsh wind suddenly blew around him nearly knocking him off of the roof. His eyes narrowed, that wind was not natural. Suddenly a bright blast connected with the roof sending both him and the unfinished roof down into the well house.

He cursed violently as he pushed a few stray boards of wood off of him. Hours of work utterly destroyed in seconds! When he looked up he could see a female form standing on the remainder of the roof. She held a fan before her face, hiding half of it from view. Her crimson eyes looked down at his fallen form, various parts of his body bleeding from shallow cuts caused by the wood. He could feel his demonic healing begin to kick in, soon the cuts would become nothing more than a memory in a short hour or so. She chuckled as he stood with clenched fists, looking ready for a fight. The woman gracefully landed in front of him, never saying a word.

Yusuke's fists glowed with his spiritual energy; this woman was going to regret attacking him by the time he was through with her! Before he could react she had pulled something out from her pocket and jammed it into his forearm, a pale green liquid drained into his veins. His eyes widened in pain as the liquid quickly took effect; electricity seemed to be running through his body quicker than it should. His vision began to blur and his mind could not process a single coherent thought.

The demoness simply smirked as she folded her fan, her job was done. She looked at his glazed eyes, whether he still knew she was in front of him she didn't know. Nor did she rightly care. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed the young half demon lightly. Due to his state, he easily lost balance and soon felt himself falling backwards. He felt the back of his head smack against the lip of the well; no doubt that would turn into a headache.

The female turned to leave, but stopped when she saw light explode from the well. It had a reddish glow to it, sparks of light shot up from the well going at least twenty feet into the air. She threw her arm up to cover her eyes as the light intensified, going from a deep red to a blinding white in seconds. Just when she thought the well would explode it suddenly quieted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

She slowly lowered her arm and peered into the depths of the well. All she saw was darkness and remnants from the roof. Perhaps whatever had happened to the well had incinerated the boy in the process. She turned to leave the disastrous scene behind; whatever had happened to that boy wasn't her problem.

**IIIIIIIIIIII**

**Tijiya: M'kay, this is the final and improved version of 'Inner Demons'. Okay...maybe you don't believe the 'final' part, but trust me this version is the best of the previous two! I'm taking this in a totally different direction, the begining anyway, but it will still be the same basic plot line and such. I've had this written for at least a month before actually posting. Sorry for the delay, I was battling with myself about whether to post it or not. I suppose I will find out if anyone is still interested in reading it anymore. So, for those of you still interested in reading my story, thanks. **

**Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi**

**Yu Yu Hakusho (c) Yoshihiro Togashi**


	2. Chapter 2

The quiet summer afternoon was a nice reprieve from the normal chaos within their small group. Miroku sat beneath a large shady tree on a hill that overlooked the forest surrounding the village. His staff leaned against his shoulder, his head bent in what appeared to be sleep. He had excused himself from the hut, avoiding the brewing argument that had been growing between Kagome and Inuyasha. These days it was rare that the two ever saw eye to eye. Shippo, as usual, took the Miko's side and ended up on the wrong end of Inuyasha's fist. A soft sigh of peace escaped Miroku's lips. Perhaps he would be able to take a little nap; it was so nice and quiet.

Just as his mind began to fog, sending him into a peaceful sleep, he was unpleasantly pulled from the wonderful fog that had taken over.

'So much for peaceful,' he thought ruefully. His violet eyes snapped open to see a brilliant display of light and sparks, the noise, though far away, was still unpleasantly loud. He stood up and, to his dismay, assumed the display to be coming from the direction of the Bone Eaters Well. He only hoped he was wrong, Kagome would be devastated should anything happen to the well.

Without any further delay he began to run back to the village to gather the others. This was something to check out immediately. He had a strong feeling this had something to do with Naraku. The villagers moved from his path as he neared Kaede's hut, some of them whispering amongst each other. No doubt wondering what had the normally collected monk in such distress.

He came to a sudden stop as he burst through the straw flap. Inuyasha paused his fist in midair where it hung inches above Shippo's head, Sango looked up from her Hirikotsu, and Kagome; who had the word 'sit' hanging on her tongue, turned her head.

"I fear something might have happened to the Bone Eaters well," Miroku informed them. "There was a sort of light and sparks shooting up from the area, I'm not sure if it came from the well itself, but I have a good feeling it is. It sounded almost like an explosion." Kagome's eyes widened in worry as she immediately stood and pulled her backpack over her shoulders.

"Let's go check it out," she said. When Inuyasha stood and opened his mouth, no doubt to complain, she put a hand up to stop him. "It sounds like something Naraku would do."

"He doesn't even know about the well!" He huffed as he stuffed his hands into the sleeves of his haori.

"Kagome has a point Inuyasha," Sango spoke up. "Besides, how are we to know if he does or does not know what the well can do? He has spies everywhere," she pointed out. Inuyasha opened his mouth before promptly shutting it and following the others outside. Flames surrounded Kirara as she grew in size allowing Sango and Miroku to mount her. Inuyasha knelt down to allow Kagome to climb onto his back; once he secured his arms behind her legs he took off.

Kagome held onto the fabric of his fire rat robe as he leapt through the trees, Kirara in the air above them.

"Are you sure it was from this direction Miroku?" Inuyasha called up.

"I'm sure of it!" The monk confirmed. Inuyasha didn't say anything as he kept going, he could sense the thick amount of worry radiating off of Kagome. Though she said nothing, he knew she was afraid the well had been destroyed. She'd be crushed if she could never return home again. Shippo ran his hand through her hair in a comforting gesture, if only to calm her down.

By the time they had neared the well the sun had hit the tops of the mountains, nightfall wasn't far behind. Inuyasha quickened his pace; he didn't want to face an unknown enemy in the dark especially if they'd be at a disadvantage that way. The only thing that kept him going was the thought of the ruckus being caused by Naraku. Finally, when the sun was hidden halfway by the mountains, the well came into view. They stopped short of the clearing. Nothing seemed out of place or out of the ordinary. Inuyasha turned a frustrated glare on Miroku.

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming Monk?" He snapped.

"I wasn't!" Miroku insisted. Inuyasha, grumbling under his breath, let Kagome off his back.

"This is a waste of time!" Inuyasha yelled as he raised a fist in the air. He sighed and stuffed his hands into his haori. "Naraku's stench isn't even around here; no way he could have done anything." Inuyasha titled his head upwards a bit and sniffed the air lightly. Miroku, who had been expecting a firm fist to his head, looked on curiously.

"What's wrong Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

"Naraku may not have been here, but someone is," Inuyasha replied as he began walking towards the well. "I can smell blood." He stopped once he reached the lip of the well where the scent of blood came from the strongest. He peered into its depths, his amber eyes glowing slightly in the overcoming darkness. At the bottom he could see a body laying crumpled at a very odd angle as if it had just been dropped down there. He wouldn't doubt the truth behind it either. The person was probably some poor traveler bandits came across, stole from, beat up, and then tossed him down there to die.

Inuyasha heaved a sigh as he jumped in, careful not to land on the body. The bone eaters well was for the bones of evil demons, not some human that was unlucky enough to be killed. He tossed the limp body over his shoulder; surprised when he could hear the boy's ragged breathing.

'So he's alive,' Inuyasha thought as he leapt out of the well with ease. He heard Kagome gasp the moment his feet touched the ground. He walked over to where the others stood in shock.

"Is he…" Kagome couldn't bring herself to finish the question.

"He's alive," Inuyasha assured them. "But it won't remain that way for long if he goes without help." Foreboding though the information was, Inuyasha was certain he was correct in his assumption if the man's increasingly rising temperature and ragged breathing was anything to go by.

"What do you think happened to him Inuyasha?" Miroku asked as he helped Inuyasha lift the boy onto Kirara's back, making sure he wouldn't slip off.

"Not sure, probably ran into some bandits," Inuyasha shrugged.

"I don't think so," Kagome suddenly spoke as she looked at the boy.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked roughly. "How would you know for sure?"

"Because…" she paused for a moment, "…he's from my era." Sango came to stand next to Kagome and examined the unconscious boy.

"You probably didn't notice his clothing before because he was in the well, but Kagome's right. His clothing is strange, not at all like what we wear here," Sango explained.

"But how did he get here? Only Kagome and Inuyasha can get through the well. I had the jewel shards once and I still couldn't get through," Shippo pointed out.

"I'm not sure," Kagome muttered.

"We're just going to have to wait till he wakes up, it's not like we can ask him how he got through right now," Inuyasha said impatiently as he began to walk away.

"For now we have to do what we can for him if Inuyasha is correct," Miroku said gravely. Sango nodded her agreement as she helped him situate the unconscious man onto Kirara so he wouldn't fall off while they were in mid-air.

"Kagome and I will go ahead," Sango informed them. She motioned for Kagome to climb on before Kirara took off into the air. "We'll meet you back at the hut!" Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo were left looking at the spot previously occupied by the girls. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he huffed and started the long walk back.

"What's wrong with you?" Shippo asked from the safety of Miroku's shoulder.

"Nothing!" Inuyasha snapped.

"He's mad," Shippo sighed. Miroku simply nodded in reply. Inuyasha growled irritably.

"I can hear you!" He glared at the dirt path he walked on, looking as if he could burn a hole straight through the ground. There was something about the boy that was off, something that he didn't trust. As soon as the boy was deemed well he was going straight back where he came from.

**IIIIIIIII**

Black nothingness surrounded him, if that even made sense. He was weightless yet, at the same time, was falling. It felt as if he were in the pits of the Makai fires but at the same time it felt as if he were standing in the midst of the Ice Maiden Isle. He felt nothing, but ached everywhere. He couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not, it seemed that he was met with the same inky blackness no matter what.

Suddenly, all too soon it seemed, he was plunged from the blissful blackness. His back hit the sandy surface hard; causing him to groan loudly as he spat out the sand that had entered his mouth. Yusuke sat up and looked at the all too familiar surroundings. His eyes narrowed as he stood with surprising difficulty, his limbs felt like they had been filled with lead. He rubbed at his blurred eyes trying to clear his vision.

Somewhere from his right someone chuckled. Yusuke moved too quickly it seemed as he doubled over in pain, causing the other person to shake their head and come closer. The sand crunched beneath their bare feet as they approached. A warning growl escaped Yusuke's throat, but did not faze them. He struggled to stand upright, trying to figure out why he was in such pain.

Just as he managed to stand upright to get a good look at the persons face, he was kicked in the stomach sending him flying across the sandy field. He landed on his side, pain etched into his features. He was dragged upright by his hair before a punch made contact with the side of his head, stomach, and several other parts of his body before he was tossed carelessly against a rock.

He growled in frustration as he leaned against the rock in order to summon enough strength to stand. Not being able to see clearly enough, he simply pointed his index finger at the blurred figure, but nothing happened. His finger didn't even grow warm to indicate the gathering of his energy. He suddenly doubled over as he was thrown into a coughing fit, blood passed his lips to splatter on the ground.

'What the hell?' he thought as he rubbed his eyes again. A foot suddenly rammed into his back causing a strangled cry to escape his lips as he was forced to the ground. The foot ground into the middle of his back for good measure before moving; Yusuke pushed himself up on his hands and knees only to receive a kick to the side sending him sprawling on the ground once more.

This was seriously pissing him off. He couldn't see who the hell was beating him up clearly, he didn't have the energy to do anything back, and he could barely summon the energy to freaking talk! He was getting his ass kicked and there was nothing he could do about it! He attempted to stand, yet again, but his head was pushed forcefully on the ground.

"Come now," a deep voice whispered into his ear. "You're simply expending energy you don't have."

"Bas…tard," Yusuke grunted. He turned his head to see the person kneeling beside him, but could only make out a dark blur. "Who…are…you?" His only reply was a laugh. He was hauled up by his neck; he dangled limply like a rag doll. He could imagine the smirk that curled onto the attackers' lips as Yusuke hung from his grip defenseless.

"It would be too easy to toss you off of a cliff in this state," the voice was sultry, each word rolling off of his tongue like poisoned honey. "It's more amusing to see you squirm." Yusuke felt a claw run slowly across his cheek just hard enough to draw blood. He tried to focus on the unknown demons energy, but it eluded his senses each time he tried.

'What the hell is wrong with me? Come on Yusuke, fight back!' He yelled mentally. Despite his iron will, his body did not want to cooperate. Even lifting his fist took more energy than he cared to admit. The more he moved the more worn out he became and each time he tried to move too quickly electricity seemed to course through his veins. His blurred vision was really beginning to grind on his nerves.

After what seemed to be an eternity he was tossed in the air, crashing upside down against a large rock. It cracked beneath him before bursting into little pebbles sending him crashing down amongst the rubble. He was thrown into another coughing fit. Red colored the grey rubble.

His stomach convulsed, threatening to empty itself of whatever was left within it. He managed to hold it off twice, before his body finally forced him to vomit. A sickly pale green substance poured from his lips mixed in with whatever his stomach had digested hours prior. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand as he shakily stood up and moved over to the sand, where he soon collapsed. He waited to hear the sound of his attacker coming close, but he never came.

Blanketed in a cold sweat Yusuke lay in the sand on his stomach wishing that a black hole would suddenly open up and swallow him whole. Anything had to be better than this agony he was currently experiencing.

**IIIIIIIIII**

**Tijiya: I feel sort of bad, putting Yusuke through this crap for the first few chapters. He was conscious for one chapter, but then he's out cold directly after. He's probably not gonna want to wake either, that expierience, I bet, will be unpleasent. Then again, I'm the writer, I already know whether or not it will be. Okay...yeah...anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi**

**Yu Yu Hakusho (c) Yoshihiro Togashi**


	3. Chapter 3

The early morning rays poured into the quiet hut, outside the birds sang their morning song. The occupants of the hut remained in deep slumber, their steady breathing being the only sound made. Shippo shifted a bit as he curled closer to Kagome, who tightened her hold on the young kitsune in response. Kirara lay curled by Sango's head; her nose buried beneath her tails. Her ears twitched each time anyone so much as shifted. Miroku lay at fair distance from the girls; his staff propped up against the wall nearby.

They were pulled roughly from their slumber as a pained cry escaped Yusuke's lips. His bangs stuck to his forehead because of the thin sheet of sweat, the cloth on his forehead lay beside his head having fallen off. His fists swung in the air attacking an invisible opponent. Kagome leapt up from her previous position to see to Yusuke who let out a strangled cry.

Miroku moved quickly to restrain the still flailing fists before Kagome was hurt. Inuyasha burst through the straw flap thinking someone had been injured or attacked.

"Inuyasha," Miroku beckoned him over. Though he had his arms restrained, Yusuke's legs threatened to flail around next. Inuyasha wordlessly held down the hanyou's legs as Kagome tried to figure out what was wrong. She wiped his forehead with the cloth after dipping it into the bowl of water that had been placed nearby the previous night. She whispered comforting words to him in hopes of calming his subconscious. Despite Kagome's attempts Yusuke did not calm, his body convulsed as he started coughing uncontrollably. Not only did he cough up blood, but also a pale green substance that had Inuyasha and Shippo covering their noses in disgust. The very smell of the substance burned their noses; Kirara seemed affected as well when she let out a displeased sound.

Sango wiped up the substance from Yusuke's lips with a cloth and inspected it, her eyes suddenly darkened.

"What is it Sango?" Miroku questioned. She hesitated a moment before finally speaking, not lifting her gaze.

"It's inhuman," she sounded horrified. "This is a poison demon slayers used to use on demons in order to extract information from in war times, but what it did to them was absolutely inhuman. Once they found out exactly what it did it was banned from used. Any caught using it on anyone were immediately stripped from power and imprisoned." She shook her head as if in disbelief. "Who would want to wish such a thing on anyone?" She spoke almost as if to herself.

"What does it do Sango?" Inuyasha asked as he removed his hand from his nose in order to restrain Yusuke's legs again.

"It's just as damaging as miasma, but it acts far slower. First the victim is rendered paralyzed and, most of the time, their vision is affected as well. It causes excruciating pain to course through their body as if lighting is striking them over and over again when they try to move. Once it spreads through their system they slip into unconsciousness, but the pain follows them to their dreams. To them whatever they feel within their dreams is as extreme as if they were awake and the line between fantasy and reality seems to disappear. It begins to damage their innards, slowly shutting down their body from the inside out. The victim will tend to run an imaginably high fever; will be prone to sudden fits, and extreme illness symptoms most commonly vomiting. As the body begins to shut down the poison begins to affect them mentally for unknown reasons. They'll act out though they'll be unconscious. They die within a month and a half, if they're lucky." Kagome had placed a hand over her mouth looking as if she was about to be sick; her face began to turn slightly green. During Sango's explanation Yusuke's frantic movements had calmed.

"That's horrible," she gasped.

"Is there anyway to reverse the poisons effects?" Miroku wondered. No living being should have to suffer such a fate.

"Yes, there is. That's where things get complicated… the plant I need is a good two days travel not counting the way back. But, in order to help flush the poison from his body, we need to get him to the healing springs," Sango explained.

"Let me guess, they're conveniently in opposite directions?" Inuyasha grumbled. He huffed as Sango nodded. Inuyasha suddenly lifted the unconscious man and headed outside, asking Kirara to transform. The others followed him out, watching as he placed Yusuke on Kirara's back.

"Look, the sooner he's taken care of the sooner we can send him back and start looking for Naraku," he defended guessing what Kagome was thinking by the look on her face. He didn't want her to think he was starting to go soft or anything, he just didn't like to see her so upset over something like this. Sango opened her mouth, ready to tell Inuyasha that it would take two extra days without Kirara. She was surprised when he spoke again.

"Sango and I will get the plant; you and Miroku go take him to the springs. He'll get you there; he probably knows exactly where every single spring in Japan is."

"I don't know if that was an insult or not…" Miroku sighed. Ignoring Miroku, Kagome nodded and climbed upon Kirara's back. Inuyasha knelt down in front of Sango; the slayer simply stared at him slightly agape.

"Well?" Inuyasha huffed.

"Um…" Her words died on her tongue. She stepped back a little bit, fully prepared to tell Inuyasha she wasn't so sure about this way of travel. Not wanting to be delayed any longer, Inuyasha suddenly pulled her onto his back and secured his arms around her legs. He grunted in surprise at the unexpected weight of the Hirikotsu, it looked lighter than it was.

"Damn, how do you carry that thing everyday?" He muttered under his breath. Before Sango could reply he asked for the directions. Once she had given him the necessary information he bounded off opposite of the direction the others had gone.

**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

Silence reigned dominate between the two as Kirara flew smoothly above the ground. Miroku kept his attention to the ground below, urging Kirara to change direction every so often. Kagome, however, kept her attention to the unconscious male in her arms who was slumped forward so his cheek brushed Kirara's fur. Because of the summer weather she wore her short sleeved uniform shirt; she could feel when he started to heat up or become chilled. Sometimes he would make a strangled noise in his sleep as if he were in immense pain…she knew he was. She was very relieved that he hadn't started flailing around like he had earlier. It wouldn't be easy to control him in the air; most likely he'd fall over and drag her with him.

Many questions about him filled her mind. How did he get there, why was he at the shrine in the first place, why wasn't he wearing a shirt, and how did he get injected with a poison that is nearly forgotten? If those in this time barely remembered it then who in her time would have even heard of it? Unfortunately none of her questions would be answered until he woke up. Even then it would depend on how he reacted to waking up in a different time that had demons roaming around.

'So much for keeping this a secret,' she thought with a sigh. 'If he does get back to our time he could tell the whole world about this! Then the well would be roped off, I'd be questioned, and it'd probably be under such close watch that I'd never be able to return here again! Then Naraku would have a larger advantage to finding the shards because I'm the only one who can sense them and he seems to find them just as well as me. If he ever gets his hands on the complete jewel then…' She shook her head violently in order to rid herself of her thoughts. Now she knew why her mother told her to take things one step at a time. You never know what will happen so dwelling on any one thing would be a waste of time because it could turn out completely different. 'Right now I have to concentrate on helping him survive this.'

Kirara suddenly let out a loud pained roar as she lost altitude; she caught herself and stayed airborne for the sake of those on her back.

"Miroku, what happened?" Kagome asked in a tight voice.

"A demon," he replied. He removed a sutra from the inner folds of his robe and tossed it at the demon, unfortunately it moved quickly and swiftly in order to avoid it. Kagome was inwardly freaking. If she let go of the man in order to shoot an arrow he'd undoubtedly fall off should Kirara suddenly jerk away from another attack. But if she didn't help then the demon would attack Kirara and force her to the ground where they'd all be in trouble.

Kirara roared as she reared back as sharp talons ran across the underside of her belly. Kagome threw her body forward and clung onto Kirara's fur, using her body to keep Yusuke on the fire cat. Once she righted herself Kagome saw little choice and released Yusuke in favor of shooting at the pesky demon. She mentally prayed that he wouldn't fall off. The demon let out an ear piercing screech as the glowing arrow pierced one of its wings. Kagome and Miroku covered their ears as the sound continued. Its effects were equivalent of nails on a chalkboard.

"Land Kirara!" Miroku barked out as he tossed another sutra in the demons direction, this one actually making contact. Another wail pierced the air causing Kirara to suddenly stop as she cringed. The demon took advantage of their distracted state and rammed into Kirara's underside causing her to barrel roll, throwing anyone not able to cling on off. Kagome cried out in surprise as Miroku clutched her close to him effectively keeping her on Kirara's back, her arrows weren't so lucky as they fell out of her quiver quickly followed by her bow. Her surprise quickly turned into alarm as she watched Yusuke's body plummet to the ground. Kirara bolted after him, but the chances of reaching him before he hit the ground were very slim.

A red blur sped through the air and snatched Yusuke from the air, saving him from the nasty fall. Unfortunately it wasn't an ally.

"Wake up!" Kagome shouted to the unconscious man. Maybe if he woke up, even for a second, his alarmed movements would cause the demon to release him. Kirara followed the demon as it flew away from them, happy with its bounty. "Hurry Kirara!" Kagome urged. Kirara replied with a loud roar as she sped up, almost able to grab onto the demons tail feathers with her teeth.

"Ngh…stupid…"

"Did he…" Kagome trailed off wondering if she had imagined it.

"Le-go…"

"He did," Miroku said when he too heard the slurred words. "He may be waking up."

"Sick o'….you…" A bright blue blast tore off one of the demons wings causing it to shriek in pain. It decided he wasn't worth the pain and released him before wobbly flying towards the tree tops. Kirara dove for Yusuke, managing to get him by the waistband of his jeans before he met the ground. She landed in a fairly spacious area, but stumbled a bit due to her bleeding injuries. Kagome and Miroku slid off as she gently placed Yusuke on the ground.

Kagome gently urged Kirara to lie on her side so that she could inspect the stomach wounds the fire cat received from the bird. Miroku could only watch as Kagome removed supplies from her bag and tended to Kirara's wound best she could.

"I don't think she will be flying or walking until her stomach wound is healed," Kagome informed him. "Both would irritate it, we'll have to walk." Kirara let out what sounded like a sigh, as if agreeing.

"We are left with no choice," Miroku said. "The spring shouldn't be too much further from here." He lifted Yusuke on his back, slightly grunting from the dead weight, and began to walk. Kagome had opened her mouth to speak, but silenced herself as she followed. Kirara, she could tell, felt bad about this. She stroked her fur as she walked, trying to comfort the little fire cat.

"Do you think he had been awake?" Kagome wondered after a long silence. Miroku knew what she meant.

"Logically I should say yes….but somehow I doubt he was," Miroku replied. He was baffled; did that large blast come from the man? If so, how could he have done it while sleeping?

**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

Sango was unusually quiet, never speaking save for the few directions she would give to Inuyasha, but even she seemed too far gone in her thoughts. Had he been able to see her face he would be further troubled by the graveness that was set into the lines of her face. Every so often he would feel her grip on his robe tighten ever so slightly before she caught herself and loosened her grip. It didn't take much to know she was attempting to unravel something and was frustrated that she could not.

He leapt through the trees with practiced ease; Sango had long ago relaxed upon realizing that it wasn't much different than traveling on Kirara, if not a bit rougher. He stayed silent a while longer, concentrating instead on the terrain before him. It's when she tightened her grip again that he decided to speak.

"What's wrong Sango?" He questioned awkwardly. Talking to females was Miroku's forte, not his. Asking one what was bothering her was a bit embarrassing for he didn't know how to come across it to begin with. It became obvious he said the correct words for she began speaking.

"It's nothing really," she sighed. "I'm just….stumped."

"About what?" It seemed his curiosity took over his mouth as the words formed before he could stop them. She fell silent for a long while and he let the subject drop thinking she didn't want to speak with him about it, but she surprised him by answering.

"The poison…it's reacting far too quickly," her brows furrowed. "Running a fever or becoming chilled and unconsciousness is one of the first stages, but the way he reacted this morning and coughing up blood…that usually doesn't come until the final stages of the poisons reaction. No matter how many times I run it through my mind I just can't figure out why the poison is reacting so quickly! Even in its most potent of form it takes nearly as long as any other way it can be prepared," her voice had become tight. "It's almost as if…it were injected directly into his bloodstream…a large dose of it." Inuyasha stayed silent as he digested the information. Normally he wouldn't give too much of a damn, if it was the man's time to go then so be it, but remembering Sango's description of the poison's effects made him think otherwise. It sounded too much of a cruel way to die, especially if he hadn't done anything to deserve such a fate.

"How much longer does he have?" he ventured.

"Two days….if he's lucky. If Miroku and Kagome get him to the spring soon he has a larger chance of surviving, but still very slim if we are delayed." Inuyasha caught her meaning; he would keep going until he had absolutely no choice but to stop. He could keep going far longer than Sango could, she could sleep on his back if she absolutely had to. The reminder of her ancestor's dark mistake obviously pained her. She would save this man even if it killed her just to redeem them in the eyes of the gods. She was the last, right minded, demon slayer. It was because of her ancestors that the poison was made and thus it was her responsibility to help the innocent man on the receiving end of this terrible fate.

'He must be a demon,' she thought gravely. 'Else wise he'd still be conscious.' She didn't speak of it to the others before because it was far too cruel to mention before Inuyasha and Shippo, even the thought of it seemed like a sin. While the poison was still deadly to humans, it was more so for demons for a good reason. She didn't see Yusuke's chances of survival without the spring even if they did acquire the plant in time. One of the key ingredients that had been added to the poison was holy water, it was lethal to demons on contact, but the effects were decreased due to the other ingredients. However, it was the main reason so many demons died during the war. It was the main reason the poison reacted as it did, it was why they were eaten away from the inside out, and it was why the poison was so cruel. It deserved its name without a fault, Creilhanai….Cruel Holiness.

**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

**Tijiya: Nasty sounding poison eh? So for those of you who had been wondering what Yusuke had been shot up with, now you know. My mother thought the poison sounded cruel and diabolic, which is just what I needed. He's been unconcious the entire time and other questions, good ones at that, will answer themselves in time. Trust me. But don't be disuaded from asking them, I like hearing them, questions mean that I'm doing my job. I should crank out the next chapter soon, until then! **

**Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi**

**Yu Yu Hakusho (c) Yoshihiro Togashi**


	4. Chapter 4

It seemed like he had been there an eternity and he wished for nothing more than for lightning to strike him dead where he lay. Unfortunately no cloud ever covered the unbearable heat of the sun and so he lay on the increasingly hot sand wondering if the heat he felt was the suns doing or if it was the result of his whacked out thermostat. He had no way of knowing and nor did he care anymore.

This was hell to him, being beaten up randomly with no way of stopping the beater, pain coursing through his entire body for seemingly no reason. It was horrible; it was almost as if his body was failing. From his increasingly darkening vision to how his limbs began to ignore his commands. If his heart were to beat he was almost certain it would barely be beating. What in the three worlds had he done to deserve such a fate?

It wasn't that he was fearful of dying; he had done so twice already. But, he would never know if anyone would find out of his passing unless Koenma or Botan told them and that was highly unlikely. He'd probably be listed as missing and, after a long while, be presumed dead. He wasn't even certain if he was in the Makai or Ningenkai anymore, but he could strongly assume the Makai. For some reason he felt as if he were in Raizen's old territory, but he could just as easily be within a desert.

The person who had been attacking him on a random basis hadn't been around for quite some time, not that he was complaining, but it made him wonder how close he was to death. Maybe his attacker sensed he would die soon and decided to leave him to his misery. Or maybe he was watching him in amusement just because he could do nothing more than lay there and accept his fate.

'I hate this, I have too much time to think,' he thought wryly. He never was an optimist nor a pessimist, just somewhere in between. However, his current state didn't seem to allow him any good thoughts. 'I can safely assume whatever that chick put into me was poison,' if he had the strength to growl he would have. 'I wish I could see her one last time so I can punch her face in.' No doubt she'd be a hero back in the Makai for killing the infamous Yusuke Urameshi, boogey man to the demon race. Just because he was now part demon, did not mean they hated him any less. 'I wonder if I'll stay dead this time,' he couldn't help but wonder. He certainly had a knack for escaping death so he could never be sure when his tale would finally end. 'Well, I don't really have any regrets, except that I won't be able to tell anyone goodbye. That would be about it though.' He had managed to maneuver himself onto his back and waited for death to finally claim him.

Unfortunately when he received a sharp kick to the side he realized he still had more torture to go through. The heel of a foot rammed down onto his stomach causing him to cough up blood, for the thousandth time. He cried out as an unexpected energy slammed into him, causing a small crater to form in the ground from the pressure. The blurry form heaved him out of the crater and deposited him onto the ground roughly.

"You've been wishing for death to come haven't you?" The tone of voice was still as sickly sweet as poisoned honey. "Unfortunately for you, it won't come any time soon." A hint of satisfaction was within the speakers tone. Yusuke opened his mouth and attempted to form an insult, but found his voice had left him. He was hefted up by his hair to the level of his attacker. "You are weak, just as you always were….just as you always will be."

'Weak? I'll show him weak!' Yusuke inwardly growled. 'If I ever have a sudden burst of strength now would be a good time!' He attempted to lift his hand and form his spirit gun, if only in his last act of defense, but felt his blood run cold as a finger was placed calmly to the side of his neck. His breath hitched and he could swear he would have been shaking had he had the strength to do so.

"You want to hurt me don't you?" The attacker laughed darkly. "But you can't even form the Spirit Gun to do so, can you?"

'He's just trying to…scare me,' Yusuke's mind tried to reason. However, somewhere deep within him something told him that this was not a bluff. His neck grew warm in the spot where the finger still was held. For the first time in hours he could make out color; dark red energy filled his vision.

"Still can't guess who I am?" A chuckle escaped his lips. "Ah Yusuke, you have so much to learn about yourself. You have so much power and yet refuse to use it. It's sickening, an insult to your race."

'Shut up!' He wished he could voice his thoughts and see this bastard, but his wish was not to be granted.

"How about I give you a taste of what your power could do?" Yusuke inwardly winced. What did this person mean? Did he mean to kill him? The finger was suddenly removed from his neck just before he felt the release of an immense amount of energy. His dulled eyes widened in disbelief.

'Who is this person?' Obviously pleased about Yusuke's state of shock, the man dropped him to the ground. 'If I didn't know any better I'd say that was…..but how?'

**IIIIII **

Inuyasha listened to Sango's light breathing as he continued through the unfamiliar terrain. The darkness that cloaked the area was unnerving and had him on edge, he was forced to slow down to a walk because of the danger that lurked around him waiting for him to make a single mistake or slacken his guard. His ears swiveled around atop his head keeping an ear out for predators as he continued to search for the unique scent of the plant.

Unexpectedly he caught a fain whiff of raspberries and fresh rain, an odd combination...yet very pleasant to the senses. He started to feel odd, sluggish almost, his limbs started to feel numb. His head began to swirl about in a daze taking him away from the current situation to a blissful fogged state.

Sango grunted in pain as she was dropped to the ground, rousing her rudely from slumber.

"Inu-" She began, but stopped upon seeing the strange state the hanyou had fallen into. His eyes were glazed over and he seemed to struggle to keep upright. Realization suddenly dawned on her. "We must be close," she muttered. She had forgotten the drug-like effect the plant had on demons with a highly sensitive sense of smell. She nearly hit her head with the palm of her hand, but helped Inuyasha sand upright instead. "Inuyasha." Golden eyes turned to her, but whether he registered what he was doing was unknown. "You have to stay here while I get the plant," she instructed slowly. He gave an awkward nod as she helped him sit against the trunk of a withered tree. "Stay here," she repeated. Again he nodded and gave a sort of loopy smile. He was definitely out of it.

Not sure about her decision, Sango walked off to retrieve the plant. Getting him any closer to the plant would be unwise unless she had it concealed in a cloth and tucked beneath her armor. She would also gather a few other plants in order to mix the smells so hopefully Inuyasha wouldn't be affected so strongly.

When she began to wade through knee deep water Sango knew she was close to it. The plant only grew near, or in, water. She began to feel slightly lightheaded as she came closer to where it grew and found herself giggling at nothing. She had to throw her arms out to either side of her to keep her balance when she began to sway.

"No." Another giggling fit occurred. "I have to keep my mind…clear." She was certain both she and Inuyasha would not speak of this…ever. The fog she remembered so clearly from her childhood surrounded the flowers. The water took on a pinkish hue in this area confirming that they were indeed the flowers she was looking for. She swayed again and nearly fell into the water when she almost blacked out. In the back of her mind, through the fog that had taken over her mind, she dimly remembered her gas mask. It would most likely help. Her arms were surprisingly heavy to lift and it was even harder to put the mask on. Her fingers fumbled with the ties as she tried to tie it before falling victim to another giggling fit thus forcing her to start over again. She landed heavily in the water effectively soaking her entire backside. Somehow she found this utterly hilarious. Her sides began to hurt and her eyes began to water.

'What was I here for again?' For some reason she couldn't remember for the life of her.

"Oh well," she giggled. Her gas mask fell into the water unnoticed. She was faintly aware of a dark figure standing in front of her. "Stay back demon! Or I shall beat you with my Hirikotsu!" She stood and attempted to look threatening as she grasped her Hirikotsu, but fell backwards due to its weight and her drug-like state. She found this hilarious as she sat up and looked at her submerged weapon. "It so heavy!" She crossed her arms and pouted. "Why do I have a heavy weapon? Can't do anything with it…maybe drop it…." She was clearly out of her mind. "Do you know why I am here?" She asked the unfortunate soul who stood before her. After a few minutes of silence she spoke again. "You…talk more." Again she was answered with silence. She made another attempt of standing with her weapon, but made no progress.

A hand was placed upon her forehead; she looked at the intruding appendage cross-eyed before opening her mouth to speak. But no words came forth, instead her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she slipped into unconsciousness.

**IIIIII **

Kagome walked slightly behind Miroku, the sun had set a while ago leaving them shrouded in darkness. Kirara was asleep within her arms rebuilding her strength so she would be able to fly them back to the village once all was said and done. Kagome's mind traveled to Sango and Inuyasha several times. She tried not to think of the things that could have befallen them, worrying would do no good especially since she was in no range to help. She couldn't even be certain how far they were.

She cast another look to the unconscious man upon Miroku's back. Not even five minutes ago his entire body had tensed and lost nearly all of his color. Now his body was limp again, but his breathing was erratic and color still had not returned to his face. Several times Kagome spoke to him –Miroku had no idea on what to say- in an attempt to bring him to them if only for a while. So far it had no effect, but Miroku encouraged her to keep trying. Even if her words made no outward difference, perhaps they still reached him.

She had noticed several marks on his body that looked like healing scratches earlier, but now they weren't there. She didn't say anything to Miroku choosing instead to keep this information to herself. She was suddenly reminded of Inuyasha, of how his body was able to heal itself at an alarming rate. Kagome shook her head. Perhaps she was just over thinking this, yes…that had to be it. She was just putting too much thought into it.

"Are you all right Lady Kagome?" Miroku questioned for the second time that hour.

"Yes," she assured him. "I'm just thinking." He nodded his head and didn't question any further. "Are you?" He must be tired from carrying the unconscious man; she couldn't remember how much time had passed since they began on foot. They hadn't even stopped once.

"Do not worry about me Lady Kagome," he smiled reassuringly. "I will be fine." They left it at that and let silence surround them once again.

Suddenly a sweet smell and warmth encased them; it was faint, but soothing. She felt her muscles relaxing for the first time in hours and all weariness left her body.

"We're close," Miroku suddenly announced. His tone was light and cheery, opposite of what it sounded like moments before. A beautiful scene lay beyond the foliage they had trudged through. It looked like something that came out of a painting in a museum.

"Wow," Kagome breathed. Pure white flowers grew at the side of the spring, the water ripples looked almost as pearly white. The grass that grew around the spring was the greenest Kagome had seen and she could bet it was also as soft as it looked. The moon shone down onto the waters surface making it look mystical.

After drinking in the entire scene Kagome was reminded of what they were to do now. A dark blush crept onto her cheeks at the thought as her eyes widened to the size of saucers. Miroku looked on curiously before he realized the cause of her sudden embarrassment; he chuckled beneath his breath not daring to be any louder for fear of provoking her infamous temper.

"I'll be…over here," she spoke nervously and strode across the grass putting as much space between herself and the two men as possible without leaving the area.

**IIIIIII**

**Wow, I can't believe how long it took to write this chapter. I finally sat down and listened to 'Breath Into Me' over and over until I had this chapter written. So yeah, I hope you enjoyed it! Sango and Inuyasha are goin' through some wacky stuff. Miroku and Kagome have finally gotten Yusuke to the spring. What will happen next? Y'all will have to wait to find out. Reviews are always nice to get, so please leave one to let me know how I'm doing or if there's anything I can improve on. Till next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

Sango stirred with a slight groan, her entire body felt odd and sluggish. A sour expression crossed her face as she sat up wondering what in the hell she ate, or drank, last that left such a taste in her mouth. Her surroundings were illuminated by the small blue fire; shadows were cast upon Inuyasha's still form. His gaze turned to her upon hearing her shift about, she noticed dark circles beneath his eyes and the amber colored eyes were bloodshot.

"How are you feeling?" He grunted. She noticed he pointedly kept from looking at the light directly.

"I've been better," she replied with a grimace as her head suddenly throbbed. The area they sat in was sheltered from the outside, but she could not call it a cave or a home. "How long was I asleep?"

"Hours," Inuyasha replied simply. He caught the alarmed look she sent his way, opening her mouth to argue the fact they were still there and question why he hadn't woken her up earlier. "Don't start Sango," he huffed as he shifted to make himself more comfortable. "Even if you did wake sooner we wouldn't have been able to leave anyway. In the state I was in we'd have been easy prey." The sound of shifting leaves drew her attention to the right to see a tall man with skin the color of an emerald and eyes milky white. In his clawed hand he held a cup, which he extended to her wordlessly.

Sango didn't move to take the cup, instead stared at it as if some slimy substance would come out of it and strangle her. Inuyasha simply nudged her and nodded his head towards the cup, silently telling her to take what was being offered to her.

Because of her upbringing she found it hard to simply take, and drink, something handed to her by an unknown demon. But if Inuyasha found nothing of alarm it must be safe. She took the cup and found it had a most unpleasant smell. She grimaced as the thick substance slid down her throat hotly.

She was most surprised; and pleased, when feeling her pounding headache subside and a sense of normality returned to her. The demon waved his hand over the fire, a strange white powder fell from his palm causing the flames; which had been dying, to roar to life again.

Silence fell over the occupants of the small sheltered area. Inuyasha looked out at the entrance with an odd expression carved onto his face, his sleeves were folded within his haori and his legs crossed. The green skinned demon relaxed against the stone wall behind him that provided the main structure for the small shelter.

"What brings you to these parts?" He suddenly spoke, revealing to have a deep throated voice. Sango turned her attention to the demon, but Inuyasha remained looking away. "It be very idiotic for anyone, even a demon slayer, to travel to the sleeping death." Though his head was turned in her direction, she knew he was not looking at her. The milky texture of his eyes proved that he could not see. Inuyasha's ear twitched slightly in the demon's direction, obviously intrigued about the name.

"Sleeping death?" Inuyasha repeated questioningly.

"That is what this area is called. You've experienced first hand, I see; the lands namesake." His lips twisted into an odd grin as his hand came up to run through his thin black hair which lay atop his head in a tangled state. A sound came from his throat, sounding like an attempt at a chuckle. "So, what business do you have in these parts?"

"We were looking for a flower," Sango replied quietly. She gasped as she suddenly remembered she had not obtained it before she passed out. In fact, she hadn't even remembered the reason to being there for a while there. As if sensing her sudden worry, the demon held up something wrapped in cloth. Inuyasha instantly covered his nose, moving for the first time since the demon had spoken.

"Worry not half demon," the demon near laughed. "There are several other plants within that will dull the smell. You will not be affected by it unless you take it from its wrappings."

"How did you know?" Sango questioned. She highly doubted Inuyasha would have been any help when found and she had been in no better shape.

"This is the only thing any one comes for," he replied knowingly.

"You know quite a bit old man," Inuyasha grouched as he stood and grasped the hilt of his sword. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am Kyoshin keeper of the lake. As you would know, it is a very good thing I was there. Any who come I save from their watery deaths, in your case you would have ended up as dinner for the forests' residents." The demon wasn't fazed by Inuyasha's rough words or thankless attitude. But in retrospect, the half demon was unusually passive. He had accepted the answer without another word and sat down on the ground once more.

"We are grateful for your help Kyoshin," Sango bowed respectfully. "Thank you." The demon waved a hand and smiled lightly.

"It is my job, thanks is not needed slayer. Now, get this plant to your friend." He handed Sango the wrapped flower and clasped her hand between his. "It is good to know that slayers are still seeking to right that horrid wrong." She smiled sadly in response.

"We do what we can," she spoke quietly. He pat her shoulder before releasing her hands.

"Boil it in healing water that will be the best you can do." Sango knew he meant the water from the healings springs. Inuyasha left the shelter for a few brief moments before calling out to her.

"Come on, let's go." As she stepped into the light of the rising sun she was slightly alarmed. Yet another day had passed….time was continuing to run short. Kyoshin pointed in a direction that appeared random, until he spoke.

"That will be the quickest way to go; I highly doubt you will run into trouble." Inuyasha opened his mouth, no doubt to speak against his instructions. Trusting a blind demon seemed foolish, but Sango had a feeling that Kyoshin knew more than they did. After ensuring that the cloth wrapped flower was tucked securely beneath her shoulder armor she climbed upon Inuyasha's back. Without another word he bounded off, feeling each minute that ticked by weigh upon him like heavy bricks.

**IIIIII **

Kagome watched over the fire cat that lay in the shallow waters, the mystical properties of it healing her stomach wound as time passed. By this point Kagome knew that not even a scar would be left behind. Her knees were drawn up to her chest as she stared off at the trees in thought. Despite having been awake for hours, proof being the sun peaking over the tree tops, weariness had not yet returned to Kagome and Miroku. Not once had they been tempted to lay on the grass and fall into a blissful slumber.

Even though the spring was doing wonders for them, it seemed to have no affect on the young man submerged within the water. He grew paler as time ticked by and was now shaking violently as if he had been dunked into a tub full of ice. Kagome had long since forced herself to turn her attention elsewhere, the sight of him and the thought of not being able to do anything more was horrible. Miroku was understanding and said it hurt her because she had a sympathetic heart; a wonderful trait, he had claimed.

Miroku watched her slumped back and sighed, knowing how hard it was for her to simply watch unable to do anything. He was used to seeing such things and had come to accept that some people were too far gone to save. Kagome, however, was convinced that every one had a fighting chance and would help them until the very end…until they breathed their last breath. No doubt this would be the same.

He had been utterly surprised to find the young mans body was one of a fighter. The scars that riddled his body was proof he had seen and done things that were unimaginable. He was fairly young, but was obviously a seasoned warrior. By what Kagome had told them of her era it was not a time of great devastation or war nor was it normal to fight in the streets in broad daylight. But the look of this man told him an all together different story. Either Kagome had been lying to them, which was unlikely, or things were transpiring that not even she knew of.

'And here I thought things would be better in the future,' he thought sadly. 'Yet I am proved wrong.' Had this man lost his childhood? Had he fought for his life since he was able to throw a decent punch?

On the man's right arm was a fist sized bruise; which was slowly fading away by now, and there had been dried up blood in the midst of it. Once it had been washed away a small puncture was revealed, which puzzled the monk to no end. He had not beckoned Kagome over to inspect it for she seemed lost in her thoughts and wished not to disturb her. If she managed to slip into a temporary peaceful state he would not dare disrupt it.

Miroku had been content listening to the birds morning song as he kept watch over the man. Unfortunately a horrified scream ripped through the silence and caused the birds to fly from their perches in the tree tops nearby. Kagome jumped up instantly and ran over to where they were with Kirara on her heels.

Miroku hooked an arm around Yusuke's chest to keep him fairly still, but was close to being pulled into the water himself. Yusuke's eyes had opened, but were rolled into the back of his head showing only the whites of his eyes. The screaming was suddenly cut off, his mouth still open as if his voice box had suddenly ruptured. His movements had stilled and, for a few short moments, the silence was unbearable. All too soon the screaming continued with renewed volume and his thrashing was far more violent than before.

Finally Miroku was forced to drag him onto the shore lest he be pulled within the waters depths. He quickly pulled off his robes to cover Yusuke with before restraining him to keep him from harming them or himself. Kagome put the young mans head in her lap and ran her hand through his hair, her expression distraught as she looked at Miroku. His brows furrowed and lips pursed as he looked down at the thrashing man. Yusuke's body temperature continued to rise dramatically and his torn screams showed no sign of stopping. It was the type of scream one would usher when terrified, but it was one that would usher when being beaten to death.

The ghostly white complexion of his skin had Kagome to near tears. She knew what was happening, how close he was now to death. She placed her forehead atop Yusuke's before opening her mouth.

"Hold on!" she cried desperately. "Don't give up yet, please, Sango and Inuyasha should be here soon. Just a while longer, hold on a while longer!" Miroku wanted to tell her to give up, to just let the man go. By the looks of it he had been through hell and perhaps death would be welcomed. She, however, never gave up on anyone and so he kept his mouth closed and continued to listen to her desperate cried. She continued to speak to the man, but Miroku could scarcely hear her words over Yusuke's own pained screams. "Stay with us…" Her voice had dropped to a whisper. "You have friends who are wondering where you are no doubt."

"K-Kuwa…ba….ra…" His voice was raspy and nearly inaudible. He had heard her somehow; something within his mind must have clicked with something she had said. But his screams continued and he jerked as if he had been hit in the stomach.

"Your family is probably worried sick." This too must have registered within his mind for 'mother' had left his lips as well. "You have to stay for them." She lifted her head to look at his face. A small gasp left her lips as she saw tears streaming down his face. She closed her eyes and replaced her forehead atop his so as to not look at his broken form.

Miroku wanted desperately to pull Kagome away from the man and tell her to go away from the scene. But she'd put up a fight about it so he kept to himself, continuing to restrain the man and watch as she continued to speak to him.

It was hopeless; this man was officially on his deathbed. Even if Sango and Inuyasha did manage to return now he didn't have any hopes that the plant would work. Yusuke looked too far gone at this point…beyond the point of saving.

The sun was positioned in the middle of the sky before Miroku finally sighed and spoke Kagome's name. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes, looking around wondering if he had spotted Inuyasha and Sango. He shook his head knowing what she was searching for. He was about to tell her it's over when she cried out happily. The aforementioned people came crashing through the foliage. Sango clutched a cloth wrapped bundle to her chest and near jumped off Inuyasha's back and ran over to Kagome and told her to get something out to boil water with.

Instructions were spoken quickly and movements quickened. Inuyasha had gone to get firewood and started a fire upon which they set the water filled kettle to boil. Sango had unwrapped and thrown in the flower quickly, not wanting anyone to become affected by it. She would rather not experience that again and, she was certain, neither would Inuyasha. Despite it being in a covered kettle Inuyasha sat a good distance away.

During this time Yusuke's screams had fallen silent and his movements stilled. He lay on the grass; still wrapped in Miroku's robe, with his eyes still open and skin still ghostly white. Inuyasha seemed to share Miroku's thoughts; the way he sighed and shook his head as the girls prepared the antidote confirmed he thought it was hopeless. Neither spoke lest they end up on the receiving end of one of the two's temper. Inuyasha could hear Kagome's shrill voice now.

_Give up? You want to just give up on him when we've come so far to help? _

He'd rather avoid her temper during this time, especially since it was about saving someone's life. She wouldn't give up until he was dead.

**IIIIII **

"Kill…me," he demanded best he could. "Just….get it….over wi-with." Somewhere within him he knew he would die. Why fight it? The only thing that was doing was causing him more pain…more torture.

"This is pathetic," his attacker spat as he nudged Yusuke with his foot and glared down at his broken form. "You, a strong demon, asking for death!" The anger in his voice was unmatched. Now, Yusuke found, he preferred the sickly sweet tone. He could feel the energy surrounding the demons fist as it rammed into his stomach unmercifully. He continued to scream as he was beat upon, not in amusement, but in rage. No punches were pulled and no insult was mocking.

He was faintly reminded of Toguro and what he had gone through during that fight. But even that, or any other fights he had gone through, seemed to match with this. He felt each bone break and the warm blood gush from each wound.

This was it. He was really going to die at the hands of this demon, whose abilities and power resembled his.

_Your friends…wondering _

His breath hitched as a familiar orange haired teen came to mind, telling him not to die or he'd kick his ass. "K-Kuwa…ba…ra…" The demon growled as Yusuke stopped responding to the pain and planted a fist firmly in his chest. He smirked as he felt a few bones break under the pressure and heard Yusuke scream again.

_Your family…worried sick _

His mind forced an image of his mother against the wall with her knees drawn to her chest, sobbing over the loss of her son. He couldn't do that to her again…not again. "Mo…ther." He was lifted up by his neck, but paid no mind to it. All he could hear and see were his friends and family…mourning over his third death. Unbidden tears coursed down his face and he made no move to stop them.

_Stay _

He had wanted to die, to escape the hell he was being put through. But, in the end, he would be doing the same to his friends and family. How could he do that to them again? What kind of bastard did that willingly? He cried out again as he was suddenly brought back to the present time, the pain exploding in his mind like a bomb.

_Please stay_

'I-I want to,' he thought desperately. He began to fight against the demon, struggling to be removed from his grasp, but his attempts were futile for he did not have the strength or energy.

_Just a while longer _

'I've got to try…got to...' He tried to block the pain from his mind in an attempt to hold on a while longer. Stars exploded in his vision as he felt his shoulder bone break, his arm hung limply at his side. The demon began to strangle him; each breath became harder, his airway becoming blocked off. He didn't have the strength to fight anymore. All he could do now was hanging there as he was slowly dying from lack of oxygen. He briefly wondered why blood loss and such hadn't killed him earlier. And then he felt nothing.

**IIIIII**

**Hm, don't know what to say really. I hope it was intense 'cause it's supposed to be. If it's clumsy in any part, as I hope it is not, let me know. I love the reviews oh so much and appreciate that you all take the time to leave them!**

**Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi**

**Yu yu hakusho (c) Yoshihiro Togashi**

**Kyoshin (c) Tijiya**


End file.
